Young Minds
by iguessso12
Summary: What is so great about young minds? Can they solve complex problems, or command the masses, or fix the world for their generation? No, probably not. But for the most part, they aren't alone. They have the memories of those who came before them, raised them, and loved them. At least, that's what Elisia hopes for, but how well can a young mind remember? one-shot.


**Young Minds**

_Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children._

_-Charles R. Swindoll_

They were having one of those "family reunions" again, at least, that's what her mom always jokingly called them. Because their reunions didn't consist of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins – they didn't have any of those. Instead, the most precious people in their lives would show up in Central from various parts of the country (and the world), and they would cook tons of food, and everyone would meet at Central's biggest park. They would spend the day lounging on picnic blankets in a secluded clearing of the park even if the company was anything but relaxing. No doubt some heated conversations would crop up, voices would be raised, and a fight might even possibly break out. But that was how this family worked.

"Elicia, could you check on the quiches in the oven?" called her mom from the living room where she was packing some blankets, "They should be done soon. Take them out if they've browned on the top."

"Kay!" she called back, bustling to do as she was told.

The picnic basket she had been packing was already nearly as heavy as she was, but her mom always insisted on bringing the most food. _Those people can eat more food than I've ever seen, _she'd say, _I can't have them starving just cause I didn't bring enough!_

_Honestly, I don't know why she would worry about someone like the Fuhrer starving_. But this wasn't their first reunion, so she knew what her mom was talking about: the men always seem to inhale the food as if a famine was going to start the next day. Then again, her mom _was _an exceptional cook.

A knock sounded on their apartment's front door, and she heard her mom go to open it. Peeking out of the kitchen to see who it was, she spotted a tall, blonde man arm-in-arm with a petite, cream-skinned woman: Alphonse Elric and Mei Chang.

_Mei Elric_, she corrected herself.

"Hey, Mrs. Hughes," Al said with a polite wave.

"Alphonse and Mei!" her mom exclaimed, giving them both heartfelt hugs, "What are you doing here? The plan was to meet at the usual spot."

"Al and I both agreed that since we couldn't bring any food, we could at least come and help you and Elisia carry it to the park," Mei leaned in conspiratorially, a scheming gleam in her dark eyes, "This way, no one can bug us about being freeloaders like last year."

"Well, thank you!" her mom said gratefully, "And this way _I _get to see you first."

"Oh! Me too!" she said, sprinting out of the kitchen to give the couple a tackling hug.

"Elisia!" Al and Mei said together, as if they'd practiced it. She always thought that they were so cute when they did that.

"Did you two come straight from Xing?" she asked when her feet were firmly on the floor again.

"Yeah," Mei answered, flipping her glossy, black hair over her shoulder, "The emperor sends his regards. However, _I _came bearing _actual_ gifts!"

"Really!?" she squealed, unable to help it. Mei would always bring her the coolest things from Xing and she loved showing them off to her friends.

"Come inside," her mom's green eyes sparkled as she ushered the pair into the apartment. "I'll finish packing the basket, while you girls bond. Al, would you like to help?"

"Absolutely!" Al said, enthusiastic as ever.

"But no sampling the food before we get to the picnic!" Al visibly deflated, but her mom just laughed, "There is plenty for later."

"Sometimes I feel like I'm still making up for those years…" his voice trailed off as he and her mom disappeared into the kitchen.

Mei rolled her eyes, "He's _always _using that excuse." She leaned toward the younger girl, mischief written across her features, "But he needs a reason to explain why he's gotten so fat!"

She giggled, "Al isn't fat!"

"No," Mei conceded, losing none of her playfulness, "but he _will _be if he keeps it up!"

She glanced at the kitchen to see if the blonde man had heard, but only cheerful conversation floated by on the heat of the ovens that had been running all morning. When she looked back at Mei, a parcel wrapped in brown paper was extended towards her.

Taking it, she realized that it was heavier than it looked, yet still no bigger than a shoe box. She tore the wrapping energetically to reveal a smooth, wooden box delicately decorated with patterns of exotic birds and flowers. Lifting the lid, she peeked inside to find that the contents were neatly arranged bottles, cases, and brushes. When she looked up questioningly, the Xingese woman gave her a sneaky wink.

"You're definitely old enough now." Mei declared with a sage nod, "That's the kind of makeup that those of the imperial household use. I'll show you how to put it on later."

"Thank you!" she squealed, setting the gift aside to throw her arms around the woman.

"No problem," Mei said, squeezing her back with surprisingly strong arms.

They sat back on the couch, and she picked up the box to again to sort through the colored powders, feeling the soft bristles of the brushes, and examining the liquids with interest.

"You're growing up so fast." Mei suddenly said, a smile tilting her lips, "It makes me feel old."

She grinned at the woman, "Well, I _am_ fourteen. Twenty-three seems old to me."

Mei crossed her arms with a dissatisfied _hmph_. "You'll understand someday when you get there… sometimes, you feel like you're never what a grown-up ought to be, so you never truly became a grown-up." Her black eyes glittered as she grinned, "So when you get there, you just feel like you're stumbling through it, faking your adult aura. It's like playing dress-up, only this time, you actually fit in the clothes."

She laughed, "Don't worry, Mei. I think you're what an adult ought to be. Although, I'm not sure that it's typical for an adult to keep hundreds of knives hidden on her person!"

Mei didn't even blush, instead, she regally examined her nails, "It's a comfort thing."

"Even at your wedding?"

"Especially then!"

She remembered the ceremony, a little over a year ago now. It had been so exciting to go to Xing: the sights, the colors, the people, the clothes, the food. All of it was so different from Amestris. Al and Mei had been swathed in the traditional robes for a marriage ceremony, which had appeared strikingly normal on Al despite the fact that she knew him to be one of the best dressed Amestrians there were. Mei had been breathtaking, like a porcelain doll – flawless and perfect – yet still maintaining her vivacious spark that animated her every move.

Ling – the emperor himself – had offered to walk her down the aisle, and Mei had gladly accepted. How much better was a loving brother than a father whom she had never met and was long gone by her special day?

"Whacthya thinking about?" Mei asked.

"Nothing," she answered with a smile, "Just remembering something."

The Xingese woman smiled softly before jumping up and offering her a hand, "C'mon, let's go help. Your mom made a lot of food, no doubt. I bet it's still going to be too much for the four of us to carry."

She nodded, accepting the hand.

Everyone was there.

It was a mess.

The blankets had been spread out, but they were littered with half-eaten plates of children who couldn't sit still. Others had been scraped clean three times, and were now ignored for the conversation that was echoing through the clearing and probably piercing its way through the trees.

But she enjoyed the act of simply sitting there, watching it happen. She was slightly out of place, but it didn't bother her overmuch.

She was too old to play with the children: the little Elrics (Ed and Winry's kids, that is) were raising havoc with the constant competition between alchemy and machinery. One could practically see the arrays and wrenches flying between the siblings, but she knew that this was completely typical, reinforced by the fact that their parents did absolutely nothing to stop it. The Mustangs' kid was also watching with interest, but with eyes that were analyzing, waiting to make the perfect move that would establish dominion over the childish population of the reunion. A tiny Havoc was watching the action with big round eyes, mute with awe and most likely unable to recall that the same thing happened last year. Furey's baby had fallen asleep in his mother's arms, blissfully oblivious to the chaos. Falman's kids were absent however, still in session at the university they attended.

She was also too young to join in on the adult's conversation, not that she had much desire to. When the Fuhrer was around, much came down to politics whether you wanted to talk about it or not. And of course, Ed, in all his contrary nature, was arguing everything that was said, whether he agreed with it or not. She sometimes wondered why he didn't become a lawyer. Mustang's team always endlessly poked fun at the fact that he was an Alchemy professor that couldn't perform alchemy himself. Al and Mei held one of the quietest ongoing conversations with Dr. Marco, probably over some medical discovery or theory that they'd been working on. The Armstrong siblings were entertaining her mom with a story of some sort, yet she could hear it progressing at a snail's pace as the storytellers argued over the details.

She sighed, shaking her head with a smile.

"Elisia!" she turned to see that the kids had assembled behind the oldest Elric who was now making demands with burning, golden eyes, "Take us on a hike!"

"Alright," she stood, brushing off her skirt as she stood. Turning her tone teasing, she asked, "But what do I get in return?"

The oldest Elric puffed his cheeks, thinking hard. After a few seconds, she saw the light go on in his brain, "Gimme a second."

He ran off, and she could see him drawing a circle in a dusty patch of ground. A flash of light signaled a successful transmutation, but the boy was holding the object behind his back. Upon his return he commanded, "Close your eyes!"

She did so, but she could distinctly hear scuffling and a hissed order to _ just do it! _A light touch on the crown of her head caused her eyes to flick open in surprise. She was face to face with the Elric boy as he adjusted something on her head. He jumped down from the back of one of his brothers that had crouched down so he could reach her height, placing his hands on his hips in smug satisfaction. She reached up to feel the soft petals of the flower crown bestowed upon her.

"Alright!" She grinned, "Lets go!"

Faces shining with excitement, they trotted after her, chattering feverishly.

A small hand slid into hers, and she looked down to see the Mustangs' girl, her dark eyes delighted beneath the calm exterior.

"Tell us a story, Elisia!"

She remembered the days they were born, even if she wasn't actually _there _for every one of them. For the Elrics, her mom would pull her out of school the minute they got the news. Within hours they would be on a train to East City. It was during her summer break that the Mustangs' baby had been born. They had waited in the hospital all day, finally satisfied when they got to hold her as the clocks rung twelve times. And all the others. She could remember holding these kids when they weighed no more than her backpack.

Every one of those days were days shrouded in perfect joy. Proud parents looking with wonder at these whose lives had just begun. So much love in their eyes.

Mothers ready to nurture and teach.

_Fathers _ready to support and protect.

Her thoughts wandered and her gaze unconsciously fixed on the verdant leaves of the trees surrounding them. The kids had been satisfied after an hour of traversing the trails, and were now sufficiently calm enough to _sit _and entertain themselves; although, the chessboard may have something to do with that as well. She was left alone to watch once again, but she wasn't really paying attention to anything in particular.

The swish of fabric and the impress of the picnic blanket signaled the arrival of another. Breaking from her reverie, she saw Winry's straw-blonde hair as the breeze brushed it out of her face.

"What are you doing over here all alone?" a warm smile on her face, blue eyes the same hue as the day's clear sky.

"The kids wore me out," she admitted, "So I'm taking a break."

Winry rolled her eyes, letting out an understanding sigh, "Don't I know it!"

She laughed, "I don't know how you manage all those ruffians and can _still_ help your customers."

"It's quite a challenge. So I guess it's a good thing I love both." A fond smile found the children. The eldest's face was screwed in frustrated concentration, as he went to move a piece. The other children cheered, despite the fact they likely had not an inkling of the game's mechanics or strategies.

"I remember when you were like that too." Winry said out of the blue.

She shook her head, "I have a hard time recalling ever being that crazy…" the board was flipped as Mustang's girl called checkmate, "… or that weird."

"We all were at some point." Winry reminded her, "Though I can very distinctly recall some children being crazier than others," she gave the Elrics a meaningful glance, "Myself included if I'm being honest."

That made her think.

"Winry."

"Yes?"

"Can I ask a slightly insensitive question?"

The woman smiled, her tone faux serious, "If I couldn't handle insensitivity, I wouldn't be married to Edward Elric."

Ed sneezed from his spot on the picnic blanket, "Winry!?" he yelled.

"Go back to your geeking out with your buddies, Ed!" She yelled right back at him, "This is girl talk!"

A few of the men's faces flushed as they looked away, but it could have been due to the drinks that somehow made it into the coolers despite the children's presence.

"They definitely won't bother us now." Winry declared with no mean level of satisfaction.

Blushing slightly, she shook her head, always amazed at how Winry's abrasive nature rivaled that of a certain ex-alchemist. They were as right for each other as Alphonse and Mei.

"So what was your question?" Winry brought the topic back on track.

She hesitated slightly; her mom had taught her to be more polite than this, but this was Winry. She plowed ahead.

"Your parents died when you were young, right."

Winry's expression grew softer, more serious than the joking aura she'd had only moments before. She hated to spoil the mood, but this had been on her mind a lot lately. She needed to talk to someone who would understand.

"Yes, they did." The mechanic answered.

"How… how old were you?"

"I was ten."

Her face fell slightly, "So you have lots of memories of them?"

Winry _hmmmed_, "A decent amount, I guess. But it was easier to remember them when I was younger. Now, I can't recall things on command, but sometimes when I'm doing something, it will remind me of them."

She looked up, meeting Winry's eyes. That were slightly crinkled with sadness and concern, but mostly, they were peaceful.

"Why do you ask?" the woman asked.

Like an old movie reel that had been taped together from different films, she saw glimpses the man she only saw in photographs:

Him picking her up and rubbing his stubble against her cheek.

Him holding her hand, walking her to the ice cream stand on the corner of their street.

Him tucking her in at night, telling stories as her nightlight glinted off his glasses.

Him blinding her with repeated fluorescent flashes of his favorite camera.

Him letting her ride on his shoulder so she could see a parade down the streets of central.

The memories were filled with as much emotion and sensation as sights and sounds. They were filled with light and love, but they were ephemeral – barely there.

"Sometimes," She said, her voice shaking slightly, "When I remember my dad, I'm not sure which memories are real and which are my imagination."

She felt a warm hand cover hers, "But either way, you don't want them to go away."

She nodded, not meeting Winry's gaze.

"You want to know something about young minds?" Her gaze was dragged to the woman as she suddenly asked the question, but she saw that Winry's eyes were resting on her children again. "They don't always have the words to articulate their memories, but they _do _remember. Those scenes you and I have about our parents were made with our five senses. So while the exact description of our thoughts seem to fade, that doesn't mean that the memory is gone."

"I guess." She said hesitantly.

"Ah ah!" Winry waved a finger in front of her face, "I know, after being around Ed, people want proof for these conclusions. Let me tell you."

She smiled, even though her throat felt constricted, "Then tell me."

"Tell me, any of your memories of your dad, do they contradict what you have been told about him?"

"No…"

A triumphant smile, "There is also the matter of what you know. You know what a loving embrace feels like. You know what it feels like to be someone's princess. You know what it feels like when someone pulls the covers up to your chin and kisses you goodnight on the forehead."

She felt her mouth hanging open, staring at the woman, "How do you know that?" She did remember those sensations: the elation of being lifted off the ground, the joy of being treasured, the sleepy contentedness of being safe and secure because daddy was there.

"Just because young minds are different, that doesn't mean they don't work." Winry leaned over and gave her tight squeeze, "Those memories are deeper – more engrained, more lasting, more perfect – than anything. _You won't forget_. Your dad loved you, you _know _that. You and your mom were his whole world."

Her eyes burned but she smiled, "You're right. Thanks, Winry"

"He also took a lot of pictures for you! I'm surprised you mom has room for all of them!"

They laughed, earning a few glances from the others at the reunion. But it didn't matter. Her fears had been extinguished. And as she looked around at all the people in her life she knew that even as the future moved on, not one of these people would forget her dad either.

_Fin_

**I just kinda woke up with inspiration for this story this morning. Hopefully, for my first time writing a Fullmetal Alchemist fanficion, it went alright. Writing in all the kids was fun, however I was hesitant to distinguish number, gender, and names, cause I'm not creative enough for that. This article ( wiki/Childhood_amnesia) on the topic was really helpful and interesting.**

**If you liked it (or even if you didn't) please let me know what you think!**


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